The Little Known Facts about Barn Owls
by Greenhemoglobin
Summary: Once interested the male puts on a series of displays to attract a female such as various songs, aerial dances and arrange their head feathers in a particularly fluffy and emotive display.
1. New beginnings

Rayraychan: First LABYRINTH FANFIC YUS!

There Will be illustrations up with in a couple week, its summer but I chose to take summer classes ... I never said I was practical *sigh*

* * *

It is a little known fat that Barn Owls mate for life.

Once interested the male puts on a series of displays to attract a female such as various songs, aerial dances and arrange their head feathers in a particularly fluffy and emotive display.

Once chosen The Barn Owl will "croon" or call out to his "precious one" from the shadows. The game is played, and if The Barn Owl succeeds he spends the rest of his life dedicated to his female and what ever offspring they may have. Hunting solely for them he will be little more than their slave, to the point of refusing himself nourishment for the contentment of his family.

Mate for life, stubborn dedication, and loyalty that is the way of the Owl.

However, if the Barn Owl looses the challenge or its singular desired mate it can become neurotic, overly agitated and refuse sustenance, activity and all other semblances of health. And simply will themselves to die.

He had offered his world to her,

Sung to her,

Offered to be her slave,

He meant forever.

It was over he had chosen, they played, she won, he lost.

They both lost.

Nestled high in the tree out side her window,

he sang no more,

he hunted seldom.

And that was where he sat, day in to night, month after month until she noticed him.

Until she noticed him, and smiled,

but he had nothing left to give, and even less strength.

He flew toward the open window, so tired…

He let the darkness claim him,

_*Thud*_

He heard an answering scream, and he knew no more…

* * *

Barn owls mate for life,

* * *

She had forgiven him for taking her brother,

for his curious methods of getting her attention.

It had taken time but she had been ready to make amends,to start anew

She went to the window to gaze at the tree she knows he resides in. He hadn't left her side for all the time since they had parted.

They locked eyes; she smiled and opened the window.

It feels like a new beginning when he glided through her window,

Until he drops,

until he lands with a sickening thud

He is the Owl, and she weeps,

because it is not a bird that lies dyeing on her bedroom floor it is a man. Who despite had being able to move the heavens and bend time,

Had left none for himself.

* * *

Barn Owls are Fragile creatures

* * *

But it is a little known fact that Barn Owls are stubborn creatures and when given enough incentives can make miraculous recoveries in captivity. The bond between a caretaker and an injured Owl can even return such fragile creatures from deaths door.

"Jareth…."

_I wish you would stay_

_

* * *

_

And that is where our story begins


	2. Not a Water Fowl

Sorry for the wait guys I was without internet for the last couple days D=, THANKS TO ALL THE SUBSCRIBERS/FAVES!

* * *

It is a little known fact that Barn owls unlike most fowl, do not have water proof wings, and are greatly adverse to contact with water

* * *

Adverse in the way that it rather infuriated them…

_**SPLASH!**_

"Arrg Jareth seriously? It's just a bath would you stop freaking out!"

In the small bathroom adjoining the youngest Williams female, said female was desperately trying to coerce a bedraggled, dirty and highly furious Owl into a bath of luke-warm soapy water.

And judging by the amount of screeching, and various curses spilling forth from between the cracks of the bathroom door, it was not going well.

* * *

The rest of the wary Williams family, wisely decided to retreat down stairs for some rather mind numbing television.

* * *

"Damn this Dawn soap is suppose to work on birds without harming them I mean it looked like it did in all those commercial about the oil spill clean ups." The young girl informed the suspicious owl, currently hiding in the space between the wall and the back of her toilette.

shrugging the girl tossed the blue bottle on to a stack of worn, but clean towels and turned her attention to her small companion.

"Hey come on, it's just a little bath Jareth and then we can see about getting you something to eat." She said soothingly while trying to coax the owl from its hiding spot.

Unfortunately, his will was as strong as hers,

Meaning he screeched lunged for her out stretched hand and made the shocked young lady fall back wards and smash her tail bone against the tiled flooring.

"That's it you stupid, bird I don't care if your wing become encrusted with dirt that they fall off!" The young Miss Williams screamed

"But if you're going to stay and heal, IN MY ROOM then you will be clean and you will **do as I say**!"

This latest outburst drew a strange sort of recollection from the ruffled animal,

_Love me, fear me, do as I say and…_

_**Wham!**_

This strange little pause in the owls attempt to escape was all that Sara needed as she tackled the bewildered owl and deposited him _swiftly_ in the tub, with a gentle sloshing of water.

Well perhaps not _too _swiftly seeing as she also lost her balance on the muddy tile and fell in beside the wet, furious and now slightly amused owl.


	3. Silent Killer

Greenhemoglobin: sorry for the loooong wait guys my health hasn't been the best lately the next chapter(Men or mice chap 4) should be up pretty soon after this one

* * *

After bathing the slightly more, amiable Owl and chasing him around the bathroom with a blow-dryer Miss Sara Williams had obtained several bruises, a drenched and muddied outfit and a new bathroom décor that _just _screamed I have been hit by a muddy apocalypse.

* * *

She Even managed to use her developing acting skills combined with some blatant all out lying to convince her Step mother Karen that the bathrooms new décor was _all the rage_ in France.

Still, Jareth the (not so depressed any more) Goblin King who was trapped in the form of a "harmless" Barn owl was clean, while she, herself looked as though she was the one who had spent so many hard months in the tree out side her window.

* * *

The culprit and reigning villain of her life, seemed to acknowledge this fact with a turn of his head and a ruffle of his wings, from his perch atop her bookcase. As if to say

"Well precious that's an _interesting_ look you're sporting today"

Still reeling from there earlier escapades Sarah addressed the pompous, preening owl with a stately type of authority.

"Now that you're cleaned up I'm going to do the same and then we'll see about getting some mice for you to eat"

Taking his silence for affirmation Sarah turned heel and marched back into the bathroom shutting the door behind her and began the arduous task of shedding her soggy cloths while flipping on the shower and adjusting the temperature so it would warm quickly.

* * *

sighing in contentment when the water was at an acceptable temperature, she Stepped back in to the spray, while closing her eyes she began to rinse and comb through her errant locks with her fingers,

Then as she reached for the shampoo, while humming softly to her self,

Only to pause and glance up to the space where she heard a rustling sound on the shower rod above her head,

"Hoooot"

* * *

It is a little known fact that The Barn Owl are silent flyers able to locate their prey through dense forest, with out alerting their target until it's far to late.

* * *

hope you guys had a laugh, feel free to make suggestions about ideas for wacky misadventures Sarah and her owl might have in the future!


	4. Of Mice and men

Greenhemoglobin: thanks for all the reviews and faves! It actually spurred me to finish this ahead of schedule!

* * *

One long winded speech and several well placed threats about hidden Owl anatomy later. Our young Heroine had valiantly contacted the various pet supplies shipping companies in order to obtain a box of flash frozen mice, so that she could continue to nurse her feathered companion back to his healthy and glittery self.

Unfortunately the package wouldn't arrive for several days yet, and her avian patient had made his need for sustenance abundantly clear by screeching well into the night.

This had prompted her current trek out into the vast wilderness of suburbia with the goal of catching mice,

At night,

In the **dark….**

_Alone._

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Sarah whispered to herself while kneeling in the bush in her back yard.

* * *

Mean while, Jareth was not pleased.

* * *

His precious little thing had finally accepted him into her territory, finally said part of the words he needed to was all he needed to bounce back, although a little weak from hunger he could now provide for himself and his intended.

But nooooo like always she had to go and be a difficult misunderstanding _human_!

He'd be the first to admit the attention was nice and all,

But then she tried to practically drown him in that porcelain basin of _death. _And then she had the gall to leave him in her room, alone what if she succumbed to the devious waters of the deadly basin?

How irresponsible of a mate did she think him?

Thank God he had figured out that blasted door handle, or she might have been a goner.

Though, he did most certainly enjoy the _view _and was considering not putting up as much of a fight if she was going to be in this state while he splashed about in the water.

He even decided to let her in on his little plan or genius proportions when she jerked out of her lovely little trance and glanced up at him.

That had not gone so well….

Letting out a dejected sigh that sounded more like a coo in this form he gazed out the window into the inky night, and wondered not for the first time since meeting his Lady how she managed to so completely turn his world.

* * *

It's a little known fact that Barn Owls are moody creatures

* * *

So, mice hunting had not gone as she had planned…

* * *

Because as effective as pillow cases were for a multitude of things, such as holding Halloween candy, or impromptu masks. They were not effective in catching a mouse.

Such was the life of Sarah Williams High School student, Champion of the Labyrinth and keeper of its King. A Lady of many virtues and talents…

Just none of them entailing mice catching.

Groaning in obvious frustration Sarah brushed some of the grass and leaves(that she was certain had left major grass stains) from her knees and glanced around the battle field.

Toys of all sorts lay strewn about the back yard as if frozen in mock play, swings swaying eerily in the humidified breeze.

" Musta scared them all away, not that I blame them I wouldn't want to be Owl fodder either." Picking up her tools she made the lonely trek back to her room.

* * *

Tip- toeing up the stairs Sarah quietly eased opened her door and shut it behind her. Not noticing the opened window.

"….Jareth?" she whispered into the silence,

"Hmm musta found somewhere to perch for the night" she said mumbling to herself as she slipped off her grass stained PJ bottoms and slipped between the sheets, while rolling on her side and slipping a hand between the pillow and her head.

Slowly she began to slip in to the land of dreams when "deDee deDEE chuuurrr"

Something soft and moist had then brushed against her cheek.

And when she blurrily cracked open her eye to focus on what had been deposited on her pillow her brain could scarcely register the magnitude of instantaneous disgust.

It

Was

A

Mouse.

WhattheHellitwasamouse!

Ohmygodohmygodohmygodthisisso unbelievablygross!

And standing perched in typical melodramatic fashion was her owl, clean, well fed, and honoring the Owl tradition of providing sustenance for his mate.


	5. Late

Greenhemoglibin: Whew man this chapter was a beast to write, hope you enjoy this one. And My deepest thanks and fondest regards to all those who have reviewed, subscribed and Favorited.

* * *

After Sarah's latest incident involving a dead rodent and an Owl whose name will not be mentioned under penalty of a Unholy glare, she decided it was time to head to her local Library for some good ole' fashion research.

…..and possibly some rest in-between the vast, full and dusty book cases of the archives.

You see she hadn't had a lot of rest recently and was running a bit low on energy.

Why you might ask, is a youthful spirited young woman with a supportive home and such a good head on her shoulders so completely exhausted?

If young Miss Sarah had the energy to answer she might obscurely mention a fluffy, feathered, pompous, white menace that was hell bent on ruining her life. And then proceed to huff in an annoyed fashion and glare up into the tree tops.

It had been several months since her new companion had soared into her life and while she had sworn to herself to heal the demented fowl, she had also become unequivocally become attached to this creature.

And heaven fore bid…come to find some of his more _interesting_ quirks endearing.

She supposed that his strange behavior was the result of his prolonged stay in his Owl form.

* * *

This brings us to her current accent to the top of the concrete steps of her local state library; the multistory, grand white columned structure was set down town passed the park she used to recite script lines from _certain foolish fairy tales_.

Catching her breath, and glancing at the great oak tree that almost dwarfed the magnificent building she quickly located the tiny white blur that should have stayed at home and slept like a **normal **nocturnal bird.

"Geeze would it kill him to just once listen to directions and, stay at home?" Sarah huffed adjusting the shoulder strap of her messenger bag and pointedly avoiding the stare of her disobedient roomie.

Pushing her way through the chrome and glass revolving doors, she had to pause for a moment when she walked passed the entry hall and into the main center,

Various glittering mobiles hung from the highest point in the ceiling in the form of different avian and in various geometric shapes.

Making long strides toward the directory panel she located her desired destination on the fourth floor, tracing her future path with her index finger on the grid and committing the route to memory.

"Hmm up to the non fiction section, and left, then straight to the biology section." She mumbled to herself and speed walking towards the spiral stair case.

"Come on feet lets get going" she said, and then chuckled recalling the last time she had muttered the particular phase to her own anatomy.

* * *

Jareth sat patiently in the great tree while keeping a sharp ear out for the sound of his precious, luckily this blessed tree had an abundance of shady spots to hide from predators and the harsh sun, in.

The previous days he had followed her, and was stuck perching on the eves of roof tops and in those accursed Palm trees. It was an exhausting task keeping up with his diurnal companion.

He settled back drawing one taloned foot up into a sleeping position and ruffled his back feathers closing his eyes to catch up on some much needed rest.

* * *

Research had gone just about as well as planned Sarah had planned, she found multitudes of articles about using Owls as pest control, and what type of nests they liked to inhabit but, the most helpful however was a small self help book on Raptor Rehabilitation. Such as

"_In spite of their sleepy and placid appearance, barn owls are very successful predators. They can see extremely well in the dark, and their hearing enables them to hunt and strike prey by sound alone."_

Well at least he was eating well enough. She thought to her self.

_"Their soft, downy feathers enable them to fly in near silence, making them fearsome and virtually undetectable predators."_

Especially when taking a shower,

And, the most surprising fact was that she had completely gone about rehabilitation wrong.

But, then again most owls weren't really fae Goblin Kings in disguise either…

Standing and stretching out the kinks that had taken residency in her lower back due to several hours of reading Sarah gathered her chosen research materials and headed to the front desk to check out.

* * *

Skipping down the steps and heading back to her house, she was far to caught up in processing all the new information to notice that her fine feathered… stalker was no where to be seen.

* * *

Tossing a pile of laundered cloths on her bed Sarah tried to remain calm, and glanced at the clock 7:45 pm

"Just take deep breaths, Jareth always flies out for a bit to hunt maybe he was just super hungry."

* * *

Pacing about the room she finally settled on the task of reading a book, and tried to focus on the content.

* * *

9:50pm

"God where was he…"

* * *

12:20pm

She slid under the comforter and pulled the sheets up to her neck turning over on to her side so she could face the window.

* * *

2:15pm

Drifting in to an exhausted sleep, our worried Heroine didn't hear the soft creak of the window pane

* * *

Jareth awoke to the slam of a weighted door.

Fluffing his head feathers and glancing around he almost fell off the branch when he noticed the moons' position in the sky...

Over slept was an understatement that he didn't even have the luxury of having a inner dialogue about.

All this prompted a furious flurry of feathers and an indignant shriek and a post hast journey back to His champions residence.

* * *

….. Anxious did not even begin to describe the panic he currently felt as he glided on to the branch out side of Sarah's window and edging off the tip onto the window sill.

Opening up the window by tapping on it lightly with his beak, he entered Sarah's room and glided over to the edge of her quilt and tentatively brushing a feathered wing over her cheek.

Fearing the explosive temper she was known for he then backed away and waited for his Precious to open her eyes.

He almost wished she had screamed at him because when she slowly drifted back to consciousness and focused on his small form,

Silent tears began to roll down her cheeks, as she wordlessly slipped an arm out from under the covers and pulled him close.

Yielding…

This was not the fist time he had been rendered powerless nor, he suspected the last.


End file.
